The Cleveland Browns have a young bunch of QBs
The Browns should just start 1st round pick Brady Quinn from Day #1 and let him take his lumps like Peyton Manning and Troy Aikman did. Quinn will only get that chance if he doesn’t hold out but that seems like it may happen as he doesn’t want to get paid like the #22 pick that he was. I have a feeling that the Browns will give Quinn more money than the average #22 draft pick because he’s a QB. The Browns have improved their offensive line enough to let Quinn learn on the job. He was a 4-year starter at Notre Dame and he will definately be able to get the football in Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards’ hands, so the Browns need to open the checkbook.
Derek Anderson appears to be the front runner for the starting job if Quinn reports late. Anderson showed a great arm when he replaced Charlie Frye when he was injured. Anderson stands strong in the pocket and delivers rocket passes with his right arm. But, he often throws into coverage and that has resulted in a lot of pickoffs. Anderson played in 5 games (3 starts) last season for the Browns and he completed 66 of 117 (56.4%) passes for 793 yards with 5 TD passes and 8 interceptions (63.1 QB Rating). He also carried the ball 4 times for 47 yards (11.8 ypc).
The Browns gave Charlie Frye his big chance last season and he dropped the ball. Frye is very skittish in the pocket and he has a sub par throwing arm. He also tends to try to force plays that aren’t there and the results have been awful with a ton of turnovers. Frye might drop all the way to third on the depth chart this season and that will he a huge disappointment for him as he is a local guy trying to make good from Akron University. Frye started 13 games last season for the Browns and he completed 252 of 393 passes (64.1%) for 2,454 yards with 10 TD passes and 17 INTs (72.0 QB Rating). He also carried the football 47 times for 215 yards (4.6 ypc) with 3 TD runs. Frye has always looked good in the pre season but he often looks like a deer in headlights in real games and that’s a hard trait to shake. He has played in 20 games (18 starts) for the Browns and he’s completed 350 of 557 (62.8%) passes for 3,456 yards with 14 TD passes and 22 INTs (72.2 QB Rating). He also has carried the football 65 times for 275 yards (4.2 ypc) with 4 TD runs.
Ken Dorsey is still around for the Browns but he will be lucky to make the team. Dorsey doesn’t have a good enough throwing arm to succeed in the NFL. He played in 1 game last season for the Browns and he threw 1 incomplete pass. Over his NFL career, Dorsey has played in 12 games (10 starts) and he’s completed 171 of 317 passes (53.9%) for 1,712 yards with 8 TD passes and 11 INTs (63.5 QB Rating). He also has carried the football 9 times for 18 yards (2.0 ypc).
Charlie Frye deserves a chance to throw with better protection and should keep the starting spot. He just needs to have that confidence that he’s not going to get blasted.
I agree and besides you cant throw Quinn behind this line till it Gels way too young to get it right in preseason and he needs to learn and standing on the sidelines for atleast the first 6 games is the way to go IMO.
The bad thing about Frye is even when he does get protection he screws it up by immediately rolling out instead of staying in the pocket. I also don’t think that he has the arm required to be a starting QB. Anderson has the big gun but he throws the ball where he shouldn’t. I have a feeling that Quinn will get his chance early in the season and I do think the Browns have really improved their offensive line with the additions of Joe Thomas, Eric Steinback and the return to health of LeCharles Bentley.
I said it all last year and I will continue to say it, Charlie is not cerebral enough and is too “awe shucks” about things to be a leader. Quinn, if he can keep his head in the game and not in front of the cameras, has the smarts and the presents of a potential leader. Charlie is no doubt tough and spirited, but that is not enough (and he is not 6′4″!). I will know if Quinn is the guy the first time he gets smashed by a Ray Lewis type. As for Anderson, too fragile to last a season.
The Browns need to sign Brady Quinn as quick as possible and get him into camp. He is by far the best quarterback on the roster and he should be playing from Day #1 as neither Fyre nor Anderson look like anything more than a backup at the NFL level.